Experts Say, This Is How Often You Should Shower

Your shower habits are a pretty personal thing.

Whether you get up and shower every morning, or skip a day in between, that’s kind of your business.

Heck. Maybe you only shower on Sundays and Wednesdays. I’m not here to judge. You do you.

It’s also possible that you swing the other way, showering once in the morning and then again before bed. Is that too much?

What do experts say? Is there an actual recommendation for how often you should be jumping into that morning — or maybe you do evening — shower?

How Often Should You Be Showering?

According to Today, who spoke with Dr. Angela Lamb, director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice, there really is no scientific evidence that shows how often you should be showering.

It really is just a matter of personal preference.

But, wait — there are some factors that should be considered when deciding how often to jump in the shower.

First of all, the more you shower, the more often you wash the natural oils off of your body.

So, the more often you shower, the more prone you are to dry skin — which can especially lead to more sensitive skin if you live in really dry climates.

You also need to consider how active you are.

If you hit the gym every day, working up a sweat, you really should be showering regularly to keep the smell away.

Sometimes, deodorants just don’t cut it. You have to get in there with a good scrub of soap and water.

Your age is also a factor that should determine how often you shower.

I mean, have you ever been around pre-teen boys? They tend to emit a pretty strong odor that needs to be tackled every day, right?!?

Is It Possible To Shower Too Much?

Again, the more often you shower, the more often you wash the natural oils off of your body.

These natural oils act to protect your skin against dryness and infection.

If you are constantly washing off this protective oil barrier, you are setting yourself up for dry skin that is more susceptible to infection — obviously.

Are There Certain Products You Should Be Using In The Shower?

Shower can be hella harsh on your skin — what with breaking that skin oil barrier.

You should stick to products that are hydrating and gentle.

Also, fragrance free products are usually the way to go, as fragrance can be irritating to the skin.

One kind of cheat sheet is to look at stuff for sensitive skin and for babies because usually, baby products are formulated for sensitive skin. But that being said, you also want to talk to a dermatologist about what ingredients might be irritating, and always look at the ingredient list.

Dr. Mary Stevenson, dermatological surgeon and associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Health